The decade-long mystery surrounding the disappearance of a Florida mother, Sandra Lemire, culminated in a grim resolution near the world-renowned Disney World.
The 47-year-old Orlando resident, who vanished in 2012, was found submerged in a pond near Interstate 4 near the Walt Disney World exit in Kissimmee on Sunday, December 31, 2023.
The discovery was made by the volunteer search team, Sunshine State Sonar, who shared the details on social media.
On May 8, 2012, Sandra Lemire left her grandmother’s home in Orlando, driving a 2004 Ford Freestar minivan. She was reportedly meeting a man she had connected with through an online dating service. After confirming her arrival in Kissimmee to her grandmother, Lemire never made the promised call to indicate her return, leading to her disappearance.
Concerns about Lemire’s well-being were heightened due to her diabetic condition and not having her insulin with her. Pauline Varner, Lemire’s grandmother, remembered the anguish of not knowing her granddaughter’s fate and reflected on Lemire’s reliability and the uncharacteristic nature of her disappearance.
The recent recovery of Lemire’s vehicle and remains by Sunshine State Sonar has provided a bittersweet closure to her family, especially her son, Timothy Lemire of Michigan.
Overwhelmed by a mix of relief and sorrow, Timothy expressed his gratitude toward the search team on Facebook for their pivotal role in ending the long-standing mystery surrounding his mother’s disappearance.
Sandra Lemire was last seen driving away from Denny’s restaurant in Kissimmee with no trace until the recent discovery. The Orlando Police had cleared the man she visited of any involvement in her disappearance. This person claimed they parted ways after meeting up, and the police believed his account.
The remains recovered have not been officially confirmed as those of Sandra Lemire. The medical examiner’s office is tasked with this identification process.
This discovery marks another successful recovery by Sunshine State Sonar, a non-profit launched in 2022. The organization has been credited with recovering several bodies since its inception.
Their recent efforts were guided by additional information provided by the Orlando Police, leading to the targeted search that unveiled the submerged minivan in a retention pond.
